Can opener and pouring spout



3, 1965 B. L. CAMPBELL 3,198,388-

CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT Filed Jan. 2, 1964 FIG.I

BILL L. CAMPBELL INVENTOR.

AGENT FIG.2 lgw/y/tf United States Patent 3,198,383 CAN GPENER ANBPOURING SPQU Bfil'L. Campbell, Star Rte, Canton, @ltla. Filed Jan. 2,1964, Ser. No. 335,120 2 Claims. ((Il. 22233.5)

The present invention relates to can openers and more particularly to acombined can holder and opener.

The prior are reveals a plurality of can taps or openers which includesa pouring spout. Most of the can spouts or openers used foropening-quart cans of oil, or the like, feature a sharpened point at oneend of the spout which is difiicult to force through the sealed end ofthe can and is similarly difficult to remove from the can after thelatter is emptied. Furthermore, the patents of the prior art do notdisclose a means for easily opening and holding a can while emptying thelatter through the can tap spout or in removing the can from the openerwhen the can has been emptied.

it is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention toprovide a can opener having a pouring spout which may be easilyconnected to the can and retain the latter during the opening andemptying of the can.

An additional object is to provide a can opening device which may belocked in can opening position until the can has been emptied and isready for disposal.

Still another object is to provide a can opening and holding devicewhich will automatically release the can from the tap and pouring spoutwhen the can is to be discarded.

A still further object is to provide a device of this class whichfeatures a non-dripping spout to eliminate dripping oil on the engine ordriveway after the can has been emptied.

Yet another object is to provide a device of this class which is simplyand ruggedly constructed, may be economically manufactured, and whichwill have a long useful life.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by forming asubstantially rectangular can engaging frame and pivotally connecting aspout holding handle to the frame for movement of the spout toward andaway from a can to be opened. 7

Other objccts'will be apparent from the following description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device in can holding andopening position, the can being shown by dotted lines and illustratingby dotted lines, a can releasing position of the handle and pouringspout;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan View taken substantially along theline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are horizontal cross-sectional views taken substantiallyalong the respective lines 33 and 44 of FIG. 1; and,

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the outlet end of the pouring spout, perse.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures ofthe drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates the device, as a whole, which isrectangular in general configuration comprising a frame 12, bell crank14 and pouring spout 16. The frame 12, in the example shown, is formedof channel iron material of a selected size, however, othercrosssectional shaped material may be substituted. The frame 12 includesa can engaging longitudinal side member 18 and an opposing longitudinalhand grip side member 20 which are interconnected at their respectiveends, in a common plane, by end members 22 and 24. The side member 18 ispreferably coextensive with the longitudinal dimension of a can to beopened, such as a one quart 'ice.

I size oil can indicated by the dotted lines 26. One end axis of theside'member 13 forming a can end engaging foot member 28.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the foot member is provided with upstandinglugs 3b which engage the conven-. tional flanged end of the can to beopened when the can is placed adjacent the side member 13.

The bell crank 14 is pivotally connected, intermediate its ends, by apin 32 to the frame 12 at the juncture of the hand grip side 20 andframe end'member 22. The bell crank has a first leg positioned withinthe plane formed by the frame 12 forming a handle 34. The other orsecond leg 36 of the bell crank projects outwardly of and substantiallycoextensive with the frame end 22 in right angular relation with respectto the handle 34 and parallel to the frame end 22 when in can openingposition, as shown by solid lines (FIG. 1).

-The tubular pouring spout 16 is rigidly connected, intermediate itsends, to the free end of the second leg 36. The pouring spout 16 isprovided with a sharpened end portion 38 so that its sharpened free tipend projects toward and into the can 26 adjacent and parallel withrespect to the can engaging side member 18 of the frame. The adjacentend portion of the frame end 22 is arcuately curved, as at 4i), forminga stop for contacting a peripheral portion of the surface of the spout16 when the spout is pivoted toward and punctures the can 26 to limitthe movement of the sharpened end 38 of the spout toward the side member13. The outlet end portion of the spout 16 is provided with a transversepartition or wall 41 so that fluid may be poured from the spout andafter the can 26 has been emptied the entire device 16 may be manuallyrotated so that fluid tending to drain from the can or spout will betrapped behind the wall 42 to eliminate soiling an engine or drivewaysurface.

A helical spring 44 is interposed between the second leg 36 and adjacentsurface of the end member 22 of the frame. The purpose of the spring 44is to normally urge the second leg 36 and pouring spout i6 away from theadjacent end of the frame and out of can contact for disposal of the can26 when emptied.

Locking means comprising a locking lever 46 is pivotally connected atone end to the frame end member 22. The lever 46 is provided with aJ-shaped hook at its free end. which releasably engages a pin 48 securedto the second leg 36 for holding the spout 16 in can puncturing andopening position.

OPERATZON In operation the bell crank and pouring spout 16 are normallypositioned as shown by dotted lines (FlG. 1). The frame 12 is manuallygrasped by the hand grip side 29 and a can to be opened 26 is positionedadjacent the can engaging side 18 with one end of the can retained bythe foot member 28. The handle 34 is manually forced toward the handgrip side 26 thus pivoting the spout 16 so that its sharpened end 38engages and punctures the adjacent end of the can 26 and forces apcripheral portion of the can wall against the legs of the channelshaped frame side 18 in a wedging action. The handle 34 may be manuallyheld adjacent and partially within the hand grip side 29 while emptying,the can of its contents or the locking lever 46 may be engaged with thepin 48 to hold the device in can opened position.

Fluid from the can 26 may be then poured into the desired receptacle andafter the can has been emptied, the device 10 and can is rotated so thatthe wall 42 in the spout 16 forms a dam or obstruction to trap fluidwithin the spout and prevent drainage thereof while the device and canare moved to a disposal point for the can. The locking lever 46 isreleased, if in locking position, and the handle 34 is released whereinthe spring 44 lifts the spout 16 out of can engaging position andpermits the can to fall by gravity into a Waste disposal container, orthe like.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alterationwithout defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to beconfined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and describedherein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A can opener and pouring spout, comprising: a rectangular channeliron frame lying in a common plane and having one longitudinal sideadapted to longitudinally engage a side of a can to be opened, the otherlngitudinal side of said frame forming a hand grip; a lateral extensionon one end of the cam engaging side of said frame forming a foot;upstanding lugs formed on said foot for engaging and supporting one endof a can to be opened; a bell crank pivotally connected to the hand gripside of said frame, said bell crank having a first leg disposed withinthe confines of said frame forming a hanand away from the end of saidframe opposite said foot; 2. pouring spout secured intermediate its endsto said second leg of said bell crank, said spout having a sharpened canpuncturing end projecting toward said foot, said spout being adjacentand parallel to the can engaging side of said frame when in canpuncturing position; a stop formed on said frame opposite said foot forengaging a side surface of said pouring spout and limiting the.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,569 1/ 19Bennett 222--566 X 2,015,079 9/35 Lindeburg 222--83 2,024,898 12/35Weltner 222-83.5 2,304,457 12/42 Hagan.

2,574,333 11/51 Lewis.

2,786,271 3/57 Charlton.

dle, said bell crank having a second leg movable toward RAPHAEL LUPOPrimary Examinw LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner.

1. A CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT, COMPRISING: A RECTANGULAR CHANNELIRON FRAME LYING IN A COMMON PLANE AND HAVING ONE LONGITUDINAL SIDEADAPTED TO LONGITUDINALLY ENGAGE A SIDE OF A CAN TO BE OPENED, THE OTHERLONGITUDINAL SIDE OF SAID FRAME FORMING A HAND GRIP; A LATERAL EXTENSIONON ONE END OF THE CAM ENGAGING SIDE OF SAID FRAME FORMING A FOOT;UPSTANDING LUGS FORMED ON SAID FOOT FOR ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING ONE ENDOF A CAN TO BE OPENED; A BELL CRANK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE HAND GRIPSIDE OF SAID FRAME, SAID BELL CRANK HAVING A FIRST LEG DISPOSED WITHINTHE CONFINES OF SAID FRAME FORMING A HANDLE, SAID BELL CRANK HAVING ASECOND LEG MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE END OF SAID FRAME OPPOSITESAID FOOT; A POURING SPOUT SECURED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO SAID